南达科他州小档案：
人口：约80万
面积：约199，551平方公里，排名第16位
州府：皮尔Pierre
南达科他州，名称来源与北达科他州相同。
1856年开始殖民。1889年11月2日与北达科他州同时成为美国第39州和第40州。以麟凤兰花Pasque Flower为州花。本州别名叫做“小狼之州”Coyote State（草原区内产小狼）或“晴朗之州”Sunshine State。本州箴言：“在上帝之下，由人民自治”Under God，the People Rule。
州府是皮尔Pierre，位于本州中部。大都市苏瀑布Sioux Falls在本州东境。州内高等学府有16所。其中最著名的是南达科他大学，创于1882年，地点在本州东南角之佛米良Vermillion。
本州特征有两点：第一，本州之内印第安人特居地Indian Reservations面积大，有21840平方公里，相当于马塞诸塞州。本州内也是苏族人口最多之州。第二，由北向南流，横贯本州的密苏里河截成四段，建立水坝，形成四条狭而长的大湖，用以发展水电，便利灌溉，美化风景。
除上述两点外，本州也有其他特征。例如：它是美国最大产金之州（金矿在本州西境罗伦斯县）。它也是美国黑麦产量第一、春小麦产量第二之州。畜牧业也很发达。
本州东部平坦，西部较有起伏。最著名的是黑丘Black Hills，接近本州西境。这是一块孤立的花冈岩丘，属于前寒武纪，中部高峰海拔为2177公尺，周围是平原。花冈岩层之外，有倾斜的古生代石灰岩层。石灰岩通过溶蚀作用之后，出现大洞。地面气压较高之时，地面之风吹洞内。地面气压较低之时，洞内之风，又吹出洞外。因此，成为著名的风洞。此地已设立风洞国家公园Wind Cave National Park，这风洞公园位于黑丘之东南侧。公园之北，又有一小山，叫做鲁什摩山，也是花冈岩山，在山的上半部高度2千公尺左右，刻有四位总统巨像（华盛顿、杰佛逊、林肯、罗斯福）。
Introduction简介
Exploration of this area began in 1743when Louis－Joseph and Franois Verendrye came from France in search of a route to the Pacific．The U．S．acquired the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803and it was explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804－1806．Fort Pierre，the first permanent（永久的，持久的）settlement，was established in 1817．In 1831，the first Missouri River steamboat reached the fort．
Settlement of South Dakota did not begin in earnest until the arrival of the railroad in 1873and the discovery of gold in the Black Hills the following year．
South Dakota’s economy in recent years has benefited from an expanding and diversifying（多样化）industrial base．Agriculture is a cultural and economic mainstay（支柱，中流砥柱），but it no longer leads the state in employment or share of gross state product．Durable－goods manufacturing and private services have evolved as the drivers of the economy．Tourism is also a booming（急速发展的）industry in the state，generating approximately 1．25billion worth of economic activity each year．
South Dakota is the second largest producer of flaxseed（亚麻子，亚麻仁）and sunflower seed in the nation．It is the third largest producer of hay（干草）and rye（裸麦）．
South Dakota is the nation’s second leading producer of gold and the Homestake Mine is the richest in the U．S．Other minerals produced include berylium，bentonite［斑脱土（火山灰分解成的一种粘土）］，granite（花岗岩），silver，and uranium（铀）．
The Black Hills are the highest mountains east of the Rockies．Mt．Rushmore，in this group，is famous for the likenesses of Washington，Jefferson，Lincoln，and Theodore Roosevelt，which were carved in granite by Gutzon Borglum．A memorial to Crazy Horse is also being carved in granite near Custer．
Other tourist attractions include the Badlands（荒地）；the World’s Only Corn Palace，in Mitchell；and the city of Deadwood，where Wild Bill Hickok was killed in 1876and where gambling was recently legalized to truly recapture（拿回，夺回）the city’s Old West flavor．
Governor州长
Mike Michael Rounds在2003年1月7日宣布成为南达科他州长。他忠于职守，努力让本州成为适合居住、工作和生活的好地方。他相信南达科他州的孩子都是最宝贵的人才资源，并且认为每个孩子都应该接受好的教育。他还鼓励人们选择医疗保险，让自己健康长寿。在本州，人文关怀应该是一个特色。
Mike Michael Rounds was sworn in as South Dakota’s 31st governor on January 7，2003．Mike Rounds is committed to working with South Dakotans to make the state a better place to live，work，and raise a family．He believes South Dakota’s children are its most valuable resource and that every child in the state should receive a quality education．
Governor Rounds is encouraging South Dakotans to make healthy choices that lead to longer，healthier lives，and he has initiated an effort in state government to help state employees make healthy choices．He is encouraging every South Dakotan to follow this lead．
In 2004，working with legislators，state employees and South Dakotans，Governor Rounds has already：
1．Passed a balanced state budget that meets the needs of South Dakota without any tax increases；
2．Reduced the structural deficit（赤字）from 28million to 20million；
3．Created the Homestake Underground Laboratory project；
4．Reorganized the South Dakota Department of Education to better embrace（包含）the concepts of“No Child Left Behind”；
5．Increased state aid for local public schools by more than 10．2million in ongoing（正在进行的）funding，as well as an additional 7．3million in one－time funding；
6．Increased state funding for public universities by more than 7．5million and for public technical institutes by more than 1．6million；
7．Created a special program to give sales tax on food relief to individuals within 150percent of the poverty level；
8．Passed a law to regulate pharmacy（制药业）benefits management companies；
9．Passed several bills to provide new benefits to guardsmen and women，veterans（老兵）and their families；
10．Funded many important water projects so that South Dakotans have clean water；
11．Created a commission to expedite（加速）compliance（依从，顺从）with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act；
12．Designed the 2010Initiative，a series of specific goals for economic growth and visitor spending in South Dakota；
13．Expanded recreational opportunities in South Dakota，including public hunting and campground（野营地）access and protection of natural resources；
14．Initiated the Missouri River Summit，a meeting that brought stakeholders together to discuss the management of the Missouri River．
From 1990to 2000，Republican Mike Rounds was elected to serve South Dakota for five terms in the state Senate and to represent District 24，including Pierre and the surrounding areas．In 1994，he was chosen by his peers to serve as Senate Majority Leader，a post he held for six years．As a senator，Rounds was a leader in：
1．Balancing the budget every year；
2．Overhauling（检查）the state aid to education formula and increasing the state’s share of funding from less than 30percent to more than 50percent of the general education budget；
3．Reducing property taxes by an average of 25percent for homeowners，farmers，and ranchers；
4．Repealing more than 500rules and mandates（命令）affecting local school boards；
5．Making major reforms in the South Dakota’s workers’compensation（补偿，赔偿）plan that helped employers to hire more workers；
6．Funding thousands of acres of public hunting land；